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Post by lawrence on Aug 21, 2023 22:36:18 GMT -5
THE HUMANITARIAN Part 3: Jackie Supports Family Related Causes *Global Lyme Alliance Foundation Global Lyme Alliance is the leading nonprofit dedicated to conquering Lyme and other tick- borne diseases Our Mission: Cure Lyme and other tick-borne diseases through innovative research, awareness, and empowering the patient voice. Jackie, who's mother Lisa suffers Lyme disease, is a staunch supporter of the Global Lyme Alliance. Just Jared article: "Jackie Evancho takes the stage to perform a special song, "The Prayer", with David Foster during the Global Lyme Alliance “Uniting for a Lyme-Free World” Inaugural Gala held at Cipriani 42nd Street on Thursday night October 8, 2015 in New York City." “Mom & @yolandahfoster I'd say tonight's #GLAGALA15 was a big success! So glad I was a part of it. #LymeFreeWorld #SearchingForTheCure,” the 15-year-old opera singer shared on Twitter after the event." *The Brave Heart Foundation Founded 2009 in Indianapolis, Indiana, TBHF supports programs and non-profits changing the lives of children and families in under-served populations. We believe in the caring spirit of individuals and organizations who continually stick their necks out for others, driving impact through generous acts that support our greater community. Celebrating a variety of organizations and missions that primarily support children and families, TBHF funds projects in three key areas: Education, Grassroots Community Development, Health and Wellness. Jackie is a dedicated supporter of her mother Lisa's organization, The Brave Heart Foundation of Pittsburgh, PA., and a proud supporter of her beloved transgender sister, Juliet Evancho, and the struggle for transgender equality. "The Brave Heart Foundation will provide a safe, enriching, and affirmative place for homeless LGBTQ young adults ages 18-26, that will provide the emotional support and overall care needed for healthy transition into adulthood. TBHT empowers homeless LGBTQ youth adults to reach their full potential (regardless of past barriers) through a variety of long-term, comprehensive support programs designed to provide resources and access to education, medical care, emotional support, health and well-being and career support." At age 15, Jackie released a special YouTube video of her cover single, "All of the Stars" in honor of her sister, Juliet, and of the LGBTQ community. And, she has since dedicated a song to Juliet in her concerts, "We Have Only Just Begun", by the Carpenters. In 2019, Jackie presented a concert at the August Wilson Center in Pittsburgh to benefit The Brave Heart Foundation.
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Post by bounderdriver on Aug 22, 2023 13:41:46 GMT -5
Just Jared article: "Jackie Evancho takes the stage to perform a special song, "The Prayer", with David Foster during the Global Lyme Alliance “Uniting for a Lyme-Free World” Inaugural Gala held at Cipriani 42nd Street on Thursday night October 8, 2015 in New York City." (performance video on Facebook)
Was the referenced video the one that was shot from the side of the stage where her appearance was a surprise? If anybody has a link to that I would appreciate it, I have looked for it and cannot find it anywhere. Maybe that was a different event for Yolanda's birthday?
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Post by lawrence on Aug 22, 2023 14:27:34 GMT -5
Just Jared article: "Jackie Evancho takes the stage to perform a special song, "The Prayer", with David Foster during the Global Lyme Alliance “Uniting for a Lyme-Free World” Inaugural Gala held at Cipriani 42nd Street on Thursday night October 8, 2015 in New York City." (performance video on Facebook) Was the referenced video the one that was shot from the side of the stage where her appearance was a surprise? If anybody has a link to that I would appreciate it, I have looked for it and cannot find it anywhere. Maybe that was a different event for Yolanda's birthday? This is the performance on Dailymotion: Yolanda, in black, and her daughter Gigi Hadid presenting Jackie as a surprise are in the foreground.
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Post by lawrence on Aug 24, 2023 9:39:11 GMT -5
Attached is a link to a Wikipedia article about Jackie that I'd never seen until this morning that chronicles the entire history of her concerts and that includes some reviews of them. It's, for me, the most extensive and impressive article I've ever seen about Jackie. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Jackie_Evancho_concert_toursCONCERT PERFORMANCE HISTORY There are 176 concerts listed in the Wikipedia reference above from July 31, 2011 to July 24, 2022, excluding the AGT tour, concerts with other artists, festival concerts and private engagements. The following are concerts not listed: Feb 18, 2011 The Houston Concert, St. Paul's United Methodist Church, Houston, TX April 20, 2013 Changhua Stadium concert (with Jose Carreras), Changhua City, Taiwan Dec 17, 2021 "Home for the Holidays" concert, Millersville University’s Clair Performance Hall, Millersville, PA Carousel of Time tour of 2022 Sept 14, 2022 Feinstein's 54 Below, NYC Oct 1, 2022 City Winery, Nashville, TN Oct 16, 2022 City Winery, Boston, MA Oct 19, 2022 City Winery, Washington DC Oct 22, 2022 City Winery, Philadelphia, PA Oct 25, 2022 City Winery, Chicago, IL Oct 27, 2022 City Winery, Atlanta, GA Oct 28, 2022 City Winery, Atlanta, GA Dec 10, 2022 "Holiday Favorites" concert, Carnegie of Homestead Music Hall, Munhall/Pittsburgh, PA (9 concerts) 3 PBS specials: May 31, 2011 Great Performances, "Dream With Me in Concert", Ringling Museum of Art, Sarasota, FL. Aug 11, 2012 Great Performances, "Music of the Movies", The Orpheum Theater, Los Angeles, CA Nov 29, 2014 KPBS, "Awakening in Concert", Longwood Gardens, Brandywine Creek Valley, PA *A total of 191 solo concerts nation-wide from July 31, 2011 to Dec 10, 2022 ____________________________________________________________________________ Concerts With Other Artists: The AGT Concert Tour Oct 1, 2010 Paramount Theatre, Oakland, CA Oct 2, 2010 Reno Events Center, Reno NV Oct 7, 2010 Nokia Theatre, Los Angeles, CA Oct 16, 2010 Northrop Auditorium, Minneapolis, MN Oct 17, 2010 Riverside Theater, Milwaukee, WI Oct 27, 2010 Beacon Theatre, New York City, NY Oct 28, 2010 Landmark Theater, Richmond, VA Nov 3, 2010 Wang Theatre, Boston, MA Nov 4, 2010 DAR Constitution Hall, Washington, D.C. Nov 5, 2010 War Memorial Auditorium, Greensboro, NC (10 concerts) Concert Guest Star Performances: Oct, 2010 David Foster and Friends, "Hit Man Returns" concert, Mandalay Bay Casino, Las Vegas, NV Dec 13, 2010 The Canadian Tenors and Friends, "Season of Song Special", CBC Television, Canada Mar 19, 2011 Muhammad Ali's "Celebrity Fight Night" concert, Marriott Desert Ridge Resort, Phoenix, AZ Dec 29, 2011 "David Foster and Friends" concert, Mandala Bay Events Center, Las Vegas, NV June 20, 2012 "Bouquet of the Opera" concert, St. Petersburg Palace Square, Russia Aug 31, 2012 Tony Bennett, "Ironstone Vineyard Concert", Ironstone Vineyard, Murphys, CA Sep 27, 2014 "David Foster Foundation Miracle Gala" Calgary, Alberta, Canada April 26, 2015 "A Magical Night" concert with Andrea Bocelli , Royal Paragon Hall, Bangkok, Thailand Aug 14, 2015 "Hitman David Foster & Friends Asia Tour", Malaysia Resorts World Genting, Kuala Lumpur Sept 26, 2016 "Festival of Families" concert in honor of Pope Francis, Benjamin Franklin Parkway, Philadelphia, PA Sept 10, 2015 Andrea Bocelli, "Celebrity Fight Night" concert, Florence, Italy Sept 24, 2016 "David Foster & Friends Miracle Gala & Concert", MTS Centre, Winnipeg, Canada July 24, 2016 "Festa Italiana" Live in Concert, Henry W. Maier Festival Park, Milwaukee, WI May 20, 2017 Fernando Varela, PBS "Coming Home Concert", Dr. Phillips Center for Performing Arts, Orlando, FL Dec. 21, 2018 "A Celtic Family Christmas", BYU TV, broadcast from Provo, UT (15 concerts) *With her concert at Ocean City Music Pier, Ocean City, NJ on Aug 27, 2023 and "An Evening of Holiday Cheer" concert at Westminster College, New Wilmington, PA on Dec 2, 2023, Jackie will have performed in a total of at least 218 concerts thus far in her career - solo 193, AGT tour 10, guest star 15 (Please add any concerts not listed)
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Post by lawrence on Aug 26, 2023 23:59:30 GMT -5
EARLY CRITICISM
A chapter in the 2016 book, Voicing Girlhood in Popular Music: Performance, Authority, Authenticity -by Dana Gorzelany-Mostak Dana, assistant Professor of Music at Georgia College, is devoted to analyzing Evancho's career and influence.
Gorzelany-Mostak writes:
Despite her commercial success, a vocal cadre of critics, journalists, and bloggers have not always been kind to Jackie Evancho. Classical crossover's excessive sentimentality and reliance on [spectacle] often provoke the disdain of critics from the worlds of both popular music and opera, but perhaps the vitriol has just as much to do with the singer's age and gender. Young girls frequently become the scrutinized objects of the public's gaze. ... The cluster of behaviors customarily defined as "girlish" are frequently devalued, mocked, and marginalized. ... Throughout history prodigies have been received in a similar manner, as the public would rather dismiss or devalue their accomplishments than accept evidence of extraordinariness. ... With her embodiment of both sheltered innocence ... and hyperability ... Evancho expands the fan base for classical crossover, dethrones elitist conceptions of opera, challenges conventions of the classical canon, and forges a new path for the next cohort of girl performers who have the courage to follow in her footsteps.
______________________________________________________________________________
Article by Ehkzu Artzu Friday, January 13, 2012 Main focus: no-spoilers reviews to help you decide whether to see/read/hear a work of art, from pop culture to high art--whatever your tastes are.
Jackie Evancho -beloved by fans, ignored by Grammies, sneered at by pop critics, reviled by classical critics.
I can't recall when someone so genuinely nice and talented has been the target of so much negativity by the cultural establishment. Here's a kid who Billboard Magazine ranks as the #1 classical artist in America, the 10th best-selling recording artist across all genres, who had the second-best-selling CD of the year among classical crossover/"vocalist" artists, and whose PBS special "Dream with me" is apparently the most pledge-producing concert of any that PBS stations have ever used for their pledge drives. You'd think all that would at least get her some attention from the mainstream press.
Well, the New York Times deigned to take note of her existence belatedly. Toward the end of last year it sent a stringer who specializes in reviewing hip hop and rap to a live concert she gave in New York. You can imagine what he had to say.
Then the Washington Post one-upped the NYTimes: last week it had a classical music critic "review" her. As far as I could tell he based his musical analysis on the first time she ever appeared on TV, 16 months ago, singing for 90 seconds. From that he concluded that she was an abused, sexualized child who's being forced to sing music she shouldn't be singing in a horrible technique that's guaranteed to destroy her voice--which he grudgingly conceded had some strengths--and wrapped it up by likening her to Jon-Benet Ramsey!
He got a ton of very angry comments. He responded by doubling down on everything he'd said in a podcast on New York public classical station WQXR-FM, with several classical doyennes nodding their heads in agreement.
Nobody else this side of the Taliban thinks her clothing would be inappropriate for performing for the President of the United States and his family or the Emperor of Japan and his family--both of which she's done.
Nobody who isn't seriously warped in the head would think her choice of clothing or music--opera arias, show tunes and slow to midtempo pop numbers--puts her in league with all those miniskirted Beyonce wannabes out there.
And anyone who accuses her parents of abusing her--which the WaPo "critic" stated as a proven fact--had better hope that they're too small to draw the Evanchos' attention, because that falls well within the boundaries of our country's defamation laws.
Moreover, the doom predicted for her voice is not shared by any of the otolaryngologists who examine her regularly, nor by the voice coaches who work with her, nor by concert schedulers who'd love to have her perform more often and more often during her concerts, but are frustrated by Jackie's parents' insistence that the health and longevity of her voice come first.
My point here isn't to defend her and her family, however. Anyone who Google/Wikis/YouTube's Jackie Evancho for less than an hour will know that these critiques aren't just rubbish, but appallingly ignorant rubbish--appalling because I'd expect far higher standards of journalism from such eminent media sources and from the critical establishment.
My point is to show how, when confronted with someone who doesn't fall within the neat categories critics use to slice and dice reality, they reject the someone rather than revise their categories--or admit, even to themselves, that those categories don't accommodate the rare interpretive musical genius who comes along perhaps once or twice a century. Interestingly, many fans of the genres these critics champion love Jackie's music. It's the critics who don't.
Thus to a parochial rap/hip hop critic she's a lousy rapper. To the classical snob she's a lousy operatic soprano. To many classical music teachers she's a parvenu from petit bourgeoise parents who has been the curse of them, now that they're being besieged by children and parents dying to have their kid trained to become the next Jackie.
And those teachers can't tell those kids and their parents the truth: "I don't know how to teach anyone how to sing like Jackie Evancho, because nobody knows how she does it, and even she can't explain how she does it; and even if anyone could explain it you'd have to be a musical genius yourself to follow in her path. I can teach you how to sing well, and safely, but you'll never even get in the same ballpark as Ms. Evancho."
So instead of saying that they say "Jackie Evancho is a bad opera singer who's destroying her voice rapidly, so I shouldn't and won't teach you how to sing like her."
Never mind that just because someone sings the occasional aria doesn't make her or him an opera singer; opera singing is a technique that can be used with any kind of music, just as any kind of opera music can be sung non-operatically. Never mind that Jackie, her parents, and her label have never claimed she was an opera singer, do not now, and say she has no plans to sing in operas or to sing operatically in the future, making the opera snobs' criticism about as relevant as saying she's a lousy Tuvan throat singer. And never mind that one of the most prestigious voice doctors in America just declared her vocal cords "pristine." These bozos know what they know...or they feel compelled to believe they do.
I'm not claiming that everyone should love listening to Jackie Evancho. Some never will. What I am claiming is that the music critic establishment is failing--grossly failing--to live up to what should be its mandate: to match listeners with music.
Instead they're trying to game the system by trashing the work and family of an artist who works in a hybrid area, neither purely classical nor purely pop. They don't understand singers who don't fit in their neat little cubbyholes. They don't understand children when the children are geniuses. They don't understand their job, which should be serving their readers. And they don't understand how you don't get to defame people's characters with no other reason than their prejudices and Lindsay Lohan.
So here's an extremely nice, polite. well-behaved, studiously diplomatic 11 year old girl who is unintentionally bringing out the worst in a significant chunk of the arts world's establishment.
Speaking as a sociologist, I find it fascinating. She's a regular Rorschach blot, given all the putrefying nonsense a lot of self-appointed experts are saying about her (when they bother to notice that she exists at all), 90% of which is false, and obviously so."
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Post by lawrence on Aug 30, 2023 12:53:47 GMT -5
SETTING THE RECORD STRAIGHT ON SINGING FOR THE INAUGURATION
Part 1. On Dec 14, 2016, Jackie announces the invitation on the Today Show. At this time, Jackie was the first and only artist invited by the inaugural committee to perform for the inauguration.
Inauguration Performance Backlash (ABC News)....."....Evancho falls in line with tradition."
"....Jackie Evancho has been getting all sorts of flack for agreeing to sing the national anthem" (ABC News)
"I don't involve myself with politics to begin with, so it's not a political thing for me, it's an honor."....."I'm doing this for my country,"
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Post by lawrence on Aug 31, 2023 13:22:04 GMT -5
SETTING THE RECORD STRAIGHT ON SINGING FOR THE INAUGURATION
Part 2: The Performance and an Interview that followed
The circumstances: Jackie had been brutally criticized, relentlessly insulted, demeaned and intimidated on social media for weeks, even threatened to back down. Nevertheless, she defied the critics and courageously honored her commitment, and did so with dignity and grace. Moreover, she had just gotten over a cold and had to sit among the entourage for 2 hours in chilly weather awaiting her turn at the mic with no opportunity for a vocal warm-up which is a necessity for any singer under those conditions. She could have played it safe and sung along with a pre-recorded track (lip-synced) as Beyonce had done 4 years earlier, "I'm a perfectionist, she said....I did not feel comfortable taking a risk". But, Jackie sang live, as she always does regardless of circumstances, again proving her integrity as an artist, as well as demonstrating her patriotism as a non-voting 16 year old. Jackie had performed numerous times during the Obama administration from age 10 to 16, with a reputation in Washington circles as a go-to performer for national events, therefore "an obvious choice to sing the national anthem at the inauguration" (The Washington Post). Jackie had said often that she had no political interest in performing for the inauguration, but that she considered it an honor to sing for her country and to be counted among those who performed for inaugurations in the past.
There is a discrepancy in the sound quality evident in the foreign broadcasts compared with the ABC broadcast which remains the source of reference for subsequent news casts and interviews with Jackie, the latter being distorted, which will be apparent in the videos below. But first, Jackie's rehearsal of the national anthem with the U.S. Marine Corps Band the day before:
The performance as it was heard on PBS and foreign broadcasts, presently posted on Jackie's YouTube channel with 1.9M views.
The ABC broadcast presently on YouTube with 1.3M views.
Was it inconceivable incompetence by CNN who provided the audio feed for ABC that was responsible for this distorted broadcast? Apparently when confronted, the reply was, "technical difficulties". Or, was it deliberate? Suspicions have abounded since it was first aired on national television.
Jackie and her sister, Juliet, are interviewed on The Build Series:
Contrary to assertions that Jackie later regretted singing for the inauguration, she said, "I don't have any regrets, because like I said before, this was for the honor, it wasn't for the person. It was to be able to sing for my country....". However, in later articles, she expressed in effect that, in view of the negative consequences of her having accepted the invitation, it was probably not a wise decision, though it was actually her "manager, having met with the president elect's people" who had arranged the engagement and encouraged her to take advantage of the opportunity (an earlier interview on Good Morning Britain).
Excerpt from Interview with New York Post, Sept 2, 2023
And while performing the National Anthem was a bucket list moment for her, Jackie did face backlash for being part of Trump’s inauguration. As a teenager, she claims didn’t grasp the political implications of being a part of Trump’s orbit, when so many other artists said “No.”.....
“I said ‘Yes’ because I was singing for my country,” Jackie said. “But it hurt my career and it just sucks because, as a 16-year-old, I perceived it as an honor. And it’s kind of sad that still to this day, people don’t understand that."
Nevertheless, Jackie will be acknowledged in history the youngest artist ever to have performed the national anthem at a presidential inauguration.
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Post by lawrence on Sept 2, 2023 12:19:34 GMT -5
THE JACKIE EVANCHO STORY
I intended this to be a collaborative effort to provide pertinent information as a resource and reference. My thanks to yellowstone2014, jcas and bounderdriver for their contributions. If anyone else has something to offer he feels is important to the story of Jackie's life and career, such as videos, articles, interviews, or personal experience and observations; please do so. Refer to the Contents below and add your contribution under one of the chapter titles or create a new Chapter/topic.
CONTENTS: Page 1 Preface: Outline of major facts
Chapters
A. Special Appearances/Events
B. Personal Experience and Observation
C. Significant Guest Appearances
Part 1: Age 10 & 11
Part 2: Age 12 & 13
Part 3: Age 14 - 18
D. Robert Redford Casts Jackie for his film.
Part 1: Interviews
Part 2: Jackie's scenes with Redford
Page 2
E. Most Notable Duets
Part 1: Age 10
Part 2: Age 12 & 13
Part 3: Age 14 - 16
F. In The Beginning
Part 1: Talent competitions leading to America's Got Talent
Part 2: Jackie meets legendary producer, David Foster
G. Special Engagements
Part 1: Age 10
Part 2: Age 11 & 12
Part 3: Age 14 - 19
H. Jackie Reveals Her Struggles Aging in the Public Eye
Part 1: Interviews
Part 2: Age 19 The Masked Singer experience
Part 3: Age 23 Jackie pressured to be perfect....."Get Out of My Life" lyrics
I. "America's Sweetheart"
Part 1: Adorable child star
Part 2: Jackie's stage presence
J. The Humanitarian
Part 1: Named Spokesperson for Mission: Humane
Part 2: Charity Work, Events and Causes
Page 3 The Humanitarian
Part 3: Jackie supports family related causes
K. Concert Performance History
L. Early Criticism
M. Setting the Record Straight on Singing for the Inauguration
Part 1: Jackie Announces Invitation/ Backlash ensues
Part 2: The Performance and an Interview that Followed
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Post by lawrence on Sept 3, 2023 19:50:08 GMT -5
JACKIE SPEAKS ABOUT BEING TRUE TO HERSELF Quotes from various interviews:
April 10, 2019 -USA Today
"I just decided that I'm going to do whatever my heart tells me to do artistically, and whoever jumps on the bandwagon will jump on the bandwagon."
May 6, 2020 -The Masked Singer
".....It was very tiring, and almost painful to carry around my old self all the time when there was so much more there"....."As I get older, I'm learning more that authenticity is really the best way to go through life, without caring about people's opinions. Because, at the end of the day you can always say, I was honest with myself."
July, 2022 -American Songwriter
"Since I’ve recently come out about my health and experiences that weren’t all good, everything I’ve written so far is just further explaining my truth. A lot of songs are a bit darker in topic, but all of them are brutally honest, but that’s where I’m at in my life right now.”
Aug 31, 2022 -TalkShopLive Q & A
"At this point, I'm just going to do me. I can't be anything but me, you know?"
Sept 2, 2022 -Yahoo Entertainment:
"My concern when I make music is always with my fans and myself. If I'm proud of the project and my fans enjoy it, that's the best I could hope for, not going to please everybody,
Oct 18, 2022 -American Songwriter
"I got tired of not being true to myself".....
June 6, 2023 -People Magazine
“I want to take my power back, be bold when facing my past demons, and share what I learn through my music. Being imperfect is perfectly ok, and that’s exactly how this song came to be."....."Get Out of My Life".
"As I've gotten older I've realized I don't need everybody's approval," she said. "I don't need everybody to like me or what I sound like."
Sept 2, 2023 -New York Post
“I didn’t even really know who I was musically because I’ve been doing the same thing since I was 10 years old,” “So, I really dove deep and caught up with myself. And I found a new sound that is very genuine to me.”
Jackie is relaunching her singing career in a more holistic way with a new record label, Melody Place. She describes her sound as “alt pop,” and her songs are deeply personal.
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Post by lawrence on Sept 5, 2023 9:22:38 GMT -5
FASHION AND MODELING *Guess Kid Clothing at age 12: “The GUESS kids fall campaign portrays an energetic group of girls and boys in a modern day rock story. In the spirit of rock and roll, the kids strut for the camera in the season’s freshest denim. The campaign features Jackie Evancho, the twelve-year-old classical crossover prodigy who embodies the free sprit of the GUESS kids brand.” -Outnumbered....3 to 1 blog (Sept. 27, 2012) "Jackie was hand-picked by Paul Marciano to be the face of his GUESS Kids fall 2012 campaign. In the words of Mr Marciano, "Jackie represents the GUESS ideal of the freedom to pursue a dream" -security4me2 One of Jackie's dreams was to become a real model, though as she grew, she would discover that her tiny stature at 5' 1" limited her prospects. Nonetheless, as a young teen celebrity she has been continually photographed, and acknowledged a "classy young lady" who always dresses appropriately for any occasion or event, whether it be an elegant floor-length dress, a stylish skirt outfit or stressed jeans and knit top. Jackie has always had a keen fashion sense, one might say famous for her one-of-a-kind performance dresses. Among the hundreds of photographs of Jackie, those that might be considered modeling shots have actually been from photo-shoots for album covers and the like. Then came the beginning of a series of protest photos at age 18 released on social media, revealing the new "adult Jackie" to the astonishment of intolerant fans, appalled at her daring to "show skin" and unwilling to acknowledge that she is no longer a 10 year old in frilly gowns....never mind that those photos were intended to make a point. Some still don't get it. Much of the collection of fashion photos in her late teenage years, including those "controversial" photos, is attributed to Jackie's stylist, Tanya Tamburin, "known for dressing some of the world's most well-known celebrities"; and to her high fashion photographer, Christina Turino. The two women are a highly respected combination in the celebrity/fashion world. Jackie's exceptional beauty and attention to being fashionably in style would have almost demanded that she be hired by a fashion magazine in which one's height is irrelevant, but the prospect of becoming a professional model has eluded her. Then, suddenly in Jan, 2022, she appeared, again raising eyebrows, in Harper's Bazaar Viet Nam, "member of the global Harper's Bazaar family", displaying a professional layout of our "wannabe" model donning "high-end fashion brands" at different NYC locations. Again, credits to Tanya Tamburin and Christina Turino. Harper's of Viet Nam boasts that it is "read by over 150,000 successful, stylish high-income women". Recently, a lengthy article about Jackie was published in the New York Post ('My Dark Side Will Shock People'), accompanied by a series of elite-fashion and accessories photos taken at The Daintree Rooftop & Lounge " perched atop the Hotel Hendricks overlooking the Manhattan skyline", posted by British Socialite and TV personality, Tamara Beckwith. New York Post is an American conservative daily tabloid newspaper established in 1801, and the 4th largest newspaper by circulation in the U.S., just above USA Today. With these publications, Jackie is at last acknowledged a professional model.......on occasion *Harper's Bazaar Viet Nam (Jan, 2022) *New York Post (Sept 2, 2023)
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Post by lawrence on Sept 16, 2023 22:05:45 GMT -5
THE SINGER/SONGWRITER Part 1: The Beginnings "Songwriting is something I've wanted to do for as long as I can remember." (Sept 6, 2023) Jackie had co-written 5 songs by age 16. The first was "Dream With Me" in 2010 composed by David Foster. Jackie said in the video about making the album, "I wrote a song for this record about all the things in life that I think are beautiful, things that are dreamy and all that......David had me write my thoughts that were dreamy on a piece of paper". David said, From that "we formulated the song". At age 15/16, Jackie had been writing 4 songs with co-writers Dina Fanai and Heather Holley that were recorded for her "Two Hearts" album, disc 2. One of the songs is "Pedestal", a protest to being idolized. The others are "Sane", "The Haunting" and "Wonderland", each an expression of her state of mind at the time. The album was release Mar, 2017. In 2019, Jackie disclosed publicly that she had been diagnosed with anorexia at age 17 and had been suffering the disorder since she was 15. In July, 2022, after a serious relapse in Nov of 2020 together with devasting events that took her out of the public eye for a year, Jackie began talking about writing songs relative to her health issues and experience with mental illness. She revealed that she had been working on original music, having recently returned from a songwriting trip to Nashville, where she found drawing on her experiences "cathartic". She says: "It's opening old wounds, but painting with the blood; it wasn't healing, but it was making something beautiful out of something painful." (People Magazine) In an interview with American Songwriter, Jackie said, “So far, the things I’ve written are very personal. And since I’ve recently come out about my health and experiences that weren’t all good, everything I’ve written so far is just further explaining my truth. A lot of songs are a bit darker in topic, but all of them are brutally honest, but that’s where I’m at in my life right now.” On Dec 23, 2022, Jackie released a demo of a Christmas song she had written and composed on garageband, "At Least I'll Have Santa". Her introduction read: "I couldn’t wait to share with you an original song for the holidays I just put together. I’ll record this as a single for the holidays 2023! But enjoy what will come right now." In June, 2023, Jackie posted an Instagram video. Her introduction read, "Recently I’ve discovered something that I had all along…my voice. I want to take my power back, be bold when facing my past demons, and share what I learn through my music. Being imperfect is perfectly ok, and that’s exactly how this song came to be". "It's a bit of a confrontational video", she said, directed toward those who had pressured her to be "perfect". At this point, she refers to her songwriting as a "therapeutic endeavor". The video concludes with a demo of "Get Out of My Life" which she had written and composed on garageband a year earlier, possibly while attending one of the songwriting sessions in Nashville, having recorded it in a hotel. http://instagram.com/p/Ct9E8jfAv1R (Continued in Part 2)
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Post by lawrence on Sept 19, 2023 13:48:15 GMT -5
THE SINGER/SONGWRITER Part 2: "My Musical Transformation Era" With a Facebook post on August 26, 2023, announcing the upcoming release of her new song, "Behind My Eyes", Jackie refers to this being "my musical transformation era". On Sept 6, 2023, Jackie posted an Instagram video with a statement with regard to her songwriting, "This is going to begin the entire journey of sharing my music with the world, it's something I've wanted to do for as long as I can remember....I'm going to be sharing a lot of very personal stuff about me that a lot of you probably didn't know....". Her song is playing in the background, apparently one she was working on in her songwriting sessions in Nashville in 2022 and had completed. www.instagram.com/reel/Cw0gfPKr8r1/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=864cd6c8-aeac-4579-89b8-92ccdc827c40On Sept 8th, the single, "Behind My Eyes", categorized Alternative Pop, was released on YouTube by the distributor for Melody Place Records, Orchard Enterprises. Another video with lyrics was released on Jackie's official channel, the latter being the most viewed and commented on. Jackie writes in the introduction: "If I’m being honest, I’m nervous to share this part of me. While it’s who I’ve been for a while, it will be new to you all. In the end, It’s my truth, and I hope you all take a piece of it with you". The music video is well received, the comments overwhelmingly positive with enthusiastic encouragement. Jackie has uncommonly replied to many with her appreciation. Moreover, and perhaps more important, responses to her message show that her lyrics are relatable to many who have had or are having similar experience. On the morning of Sept 13, 2023 Jackie performed the song live on Fox 5 Good Day New York, followed by a brief interview: She announced that there will be a new release within a few months. www.facebook.com/jackieevancho/videos/753062313254244/On Jackie's recently re-designed website under the heading "about", is written: ".....Now, at 23, Jackie has moved beyond the ephemeral title of child prodigy and towards maturity as a singer, songwriter and artist. Embarking on a new creative direction, to tell her truth musically, Jackie sought out a creative co-conspirator which led her to Smash Mouth’s founding member and principal songwriter, Greg Camp. The unlikely pair have since completed a 5 track EP (out in 2024,) all songs written by Jackie and produced by Greg." "Gregory Camp is an American Grammy Award-nominated Songwriter, Film Music Composer, and Music Producer. He is best known as the founding guitarist and primary songwriter for the rock band Smash Mouth (1994–2008).His awards, and multi-platinum albums, serve as a career resume in the music world but Camp left Smash Mouth after 16 years and has remained a Film Music Composer and Songwriter." Back in Sept of 2022, Jackie stated in interview with Yahoo Entertainment that, with regard to what is on her bucket list, "I would love to release an album of all my original material, compose it and produce it all by myself....I will have to take a lot of classes to do that, but I'm on my way". David Foster remarked about Jackie while producing Dream With Me in Concert for PBS, that "Her natural ability and the depth of her understanding of the musical process left me speechless," (IMDb). During the filming of Making Dream With Me, he said to Jackie, "Someday you will produce yourself". Although Jackie has not yet produced an album herself, she had apparently collaborated with Greg Camp on certain aspects of production while working together on the new EP. Under the "Behind My Eyes" video Jackie is credited as a producer along with Greg. ℗ 2023 Melody Place LLC Producer: Greg Camp Producer: Jackie Evancho Studio Producer: Gregory Camp Music Publisher: Universal Music Publishing Group There is a short clip on TikTok of Jackie and Greg working together in the studio....."The making of #BehindMyEyes with the incredible Greg Camp! Thank you all for the love and support so far. Means more than you know." https://www.tiktok.com/@jackieevancho/video/7276822005897301290 (More to come as events unfold)
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Post by lawrence on Oct 20, 2023 9:17:01 GMT -5
ABOUT SONGWRITING
Part 1: Radio Interview
The following are excerpts from Jackie's interview with James Ross on Radio 3, Morning Brew, broadcast in Hong Kong from NYC, Oct 2, 2023......The Asian radio premier of "Behind My Eyes":
Jackie is asked about her working with producer, Greg Camp.... "It's a funny pairing. I met him through my label. At the time, I had been working with a bunch of songwriters who suggested him. So, I went into this kinda thinking, ok, here's another songwriter. Let's see how it goes. Once I got there, I realized how comfortable the dynamic was, because there was no pressure, his musical instincts went in the same direction as mine. We found that writing together and working together went really smoothly, and we just kind of hit it off and haven't stopped working together since."
She is asked, "What kind of things were you trying to achieve?" "I don't think we were trying to achieve a specific thing. I think we were just trying to get what's in our heads out into the world. And, I think that's what makes it so beautiful. I've heard a lot of people who have heard the stuff that we're writing say that it's difficult to put a genre to it. Because, there really is no specific genre, and if I had to put a label on it, I would say maybe alternative indie, alternative pop. It falls in that category. But, we're really just doing what feels write to us."
About Behind My Eyes, she is asked, "What's going on with this song?..... "In my songwriting, I like to touch on controversial subjects, things to do with mental illness and mental well-being. This song I wrote to kinda put words to that feeling where you're almost losing your mind and nothing makes sense but everything makes sense at the same time...so it's kind of a non-sensical song, but it's really fun."
".....It's very important to me as an artist to write music and share music that is authentic to me. And, at the moment, the thing that is constantly spilling out of me is these songs about mental illness. I just really want people to not feel so alone. I want to touch on the things people still don't fully talk about yet."
She is asked, "What sort of things are those that people don't talk about, and what is the worry behind it?....
"There's a million things. Mental illness is this abyss we can't fully understand. But, for me personally, I'm dealing with anorexia and another slew of issues as a child star, and there are these intricacies that everybody relates to in one sense or another. I really want to find a way to sort of tie that into my music so that everybody can go, "Oh that's right, I have felt that before." The complete song is played.
She is asked about the types of music she enjoys......"I enjoy all types of music (from classical to alternative sounds).....I have a whole bunch of music within me, and as I continue to write, you're going to hear hints of all of this stuff."
She is asked, "Are there things you would have done differently over the past 10 years?". "To be honest, though there were a lot of ups and downs, I would say, No. I think I did the absolute best that I could, and even then some, especially with my age. Something I constantly reminded myself of even as a 10 year old was, 'You can't give up now, because you're older self is going to really regret it'. Those were the times when I just wanted to play with my friends, but I had a concert to do. It would have been silly to give up my life-long dream just for something like that."
She is asked, "What are your plans for the next 10 or 20 years?, Is it music through and through?". "Absolutely, I know for a fact that my life's purpose is music. So the plan is to keep writing and recording and releasing music, but I would also like to try my hand at acting again."
She is asked about her new track, "Broken Things"....."It's a little more controversial than the last song (Behind My Eyes). I showed it to my label, and they were really surprised that I had written it. It's about this modern idea that humans can just connect physically without any emotional connection. Though we think we are empowering ourselves, we're really breaking ourselves further. That's why I called it "Broken Things". It's an interesting song, this big dichotomy of feeling euphoric but you're also damaging yourself at the same time." The complete song is played to close out the show.
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Post by lawrence on Dec 9, 2023 15:50:38 GMT -5
The Road to Songwriting and Composing Her Own Music
I'm seeing Jackie's journey as an independent artist in a different light since she introduced "Get Out of My Life". I hadn't realized that from the time Two Hearts had been released, she has been on a determined path toward becoming a songwriter/composer. It all makes sense looking back at events that have taken place beginning with her having co-written "Dream With Me" at age 10. Jackie has stated several times the past few months that "Writing my own music is something I've wanted to do for as long as I can remember". In a recent interview on Flow FM Australia, she said that even before she was on AGT, she had been writing poems, lyrics, and stories, a "50-page book" no less. Having co-written "Dream With Me with Jackie, David Foster had said in Making Dream With Me, "I'm quite positive she could be a writer, because anybody this talented it would just make sense....". Within her "Dream" as a classical crossover singer has lain the latent ambition to write and compose her own music.
At age 15 she was given the opportunity to co-write with Dina Fanai and Heather Holley 4 songs for her Two Hearts album released on Disc 2.... Pedestal, Sane, The Haunting and Wonderland. They were the first revelation of Jackie's "dark side" put to music. It wouldn't be until age 21 that she would actually write and compose a series of 5 songs expressing the psychological effect of the eating disorder she has struggled with since age 14/15 and with having been pressured all her young life by the demand to "be perfect" in every way "in order to do what I love", she said......"all these people in my life telling me what to do, how to look, how to behave....". It seems unfortunate that what began as a child's innocent innate desire to write poems, short-stories and song lyrics about "beautiful dreamy things" was becoming a need to reveal a struggle with her "demons".
When and how did the progression toward songwriting and composing as an adult begin?
As I see it, by the time Two Hearts under the Sony Masterworks label had been released, April 2017, Jackie had long been frustrated with being ignored, her ideas dismissed and her creative input stifled. Feeling powerless under the thumb of the label, she wanted the freedom to exercise her creativity, and in her own way. She had been recording under the Sony label since her departure from Columbia Records following the release of Songs From the Silver Screen....Awakening, Someday at Christmas and Two Hearts were recorded and released under Sony Masterworks. All 3 had hit No. 1 on the Classical Albums chart. By this time, Jackie was done with recording for a major label. Free from Sony's control, it was time to go on her own, to embark on a path toward fulfilling her childhood dream of writing and composing her own music. Her intention, however, was not apparent at the time, to me anyway. Rather it was a gradual progression that began with having moved to NYC with her sister to live in her apartment part-time together until Jackie would turn 18. Thereupon, she would take command of her career and control of her music as an independent artist. She would soon work with record producer and owner of the production and artist management company, Mojo Music, Michael Mangini. He had co-produced Jackie's pop song Apocalypse with writer Peter Zizzo under the Sony label in 2015.
Jackie had already begun working on a concept for her next album which would be a contribution to The New American Songbook, a series of songs from hit contemporary Broadway musicals, a project of her own vision and an attempt to "merge the young and older demographics". She had attended shows and researched the stories looking for what she called "pivotal songs" from the musicals that inspired her and which she could relate to personally and interpret with her own "twist". That became The Debut, which she described as "the most authentically me album to date", produced by Mangini and released under her own label, JE Touring Inc., April 2019. It hit No.1 on both the Classical and Classical Crossover Charts. Many consider it her best album, at least as a teenager. She was extremely proud of the project which, by its title, represents to her a celebration of "the first and only album to come out when I was 18, and of the new me, in control of my career, the boss of my own little empire" (Build Series interview).
Less than a year later, she accepted an invitation to compete on The Masked Singer, performing songs decidedly outside the CC genre she had been known for, with a purpose to demonstrate her versatility, to reveal the adult Jackie and dispel the little girl opera singer image on mainstream television. It was in her clue- package that she enjoyed writing, which seemed insignificant at the time. Unfortunately the pandemic prevented her from capitalizing on her popularity as Kitty, and inhibited her effort to re-invent herself as an adult artist. What followed in late November of that year was unfortunate also, she having made a decision to withdraw from the public eye and social media while dealing with a life-threatening bout of anorexia and associated mental issues. A year later, in Dec of 2021, she returned to the stage for her "Home for the Holidays" concert in Millersville, PA. Meanwhile, the recording and releasing of her next album had been delayed following the preview release of her single, "River" by Joni Mitchell.
Carousel of Time would be produced by Fred Mollin under the newly founded Melody Place Music label, Nashville, who allowed her the creative freedom she demanded. Though Fred suggested that Joni Mitchell's music would be a good fit for Jackie's voice, she diligently researched Joni's repertoire on her own and became fascinated with and inspired by Joni's story-telling style, "telling her truth" as Jackie put it, choosing the songs she felt a personal connection with. It was Jackie's creative input and vocal interpretations enhanced by Fred's arrangements that gave the album its character as a tribute to Mitchell. The album was finally released in July, 2022 and hit No, 1 on the Amazon Folk Albums chart. She would soon be on her way to becoming an acknowledged songwriter/composer.
In Dec, 2022, Jackie released her first original single, "At Least I Have Santa", produced by Blair Masters, a re-arrangement from her self-produced demo (a reflection upon a holiday season romantic break up). Then in Sept, 2023, she released her original, "Behind My Eyes", followed by "Consequences" in Nov., co-produced in collaboration with Greg Camp who provided the arrangements and a live accompaniment on acoustic guitar. Three other originals, "Get Out of My Life", "Broken Things" and "Smoking Gun" are yet to be released on Jackie's EP in 2024. They again are "on the dark side", but as she said, "That's where I am in my life, and it's my truth". One thing for certain is that Jackie's music is honest, deeply personal, courageous and hopefully relatable.
The Debut, "Kitty" and Carousel of Time represent stepping stones in getting from a place of having taken control of her music to actually releasing her own original material, written and composed herself, and co-produced as well at age 23. Parting from Sony had put her on a path toward fulfilling a life-long desire which is finally coming to fruition, and on her own terms. That was ultimately due to her having first established herself an independent artist one year following the release of Two Hearts, 8 years from when we first heard her co-written song, "Dream With Me".
Here's what Jackie has to say about songwriting in the future:
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